This holiday season...

I am wishing each and every one of my followers, fellow book bloggers and friends a very Merry Christmas. I wish you all a holiday season filled with love and laughter with your family and friends. 

And now an explanation for my infrequent posts...

This season will be hard on my family and I, but we are working together to try and make this Christmas as special as we can. I hadn't really written about my Mother's struggle, but over the last two years she had been fighting for her life. She was diagnosed with NAFLD (fatty liver disease) and had just recently been placed on the transplant list this past August. Sadly in mid-November she had to be hospitalized and they bumped her up the waiting list. The last month was a waiting game - one I was not being patient about.

We lost my Mom on December 13th. She just got too sick to keep holding on. We had to gather together, say our goodbyes and let her go. It was one of the saddest days of my life. My family is staying pretty strong, but I know today will be hard for us all - it will be our first Christmas without her and it feels like it's too soon.

(January 21, 1957 - December 13, 2012)

There is a story I'd like to share with you all about my Mom - actually two that I'd like to share.

First - while looking for photos of my Mom, we found her old reports cards. I found out that she had a hard time learning to read (just like I did when I was in grade 2/3). After seeing the changes in her marks for reading, I realized that my Mom was the one who pushed me gently to learn to read so I wouldn't be held back a grade (just like she almost was). I now understand why she guided me towards reading, took me to the library weekly and helped me obtain my potential. She knew it was in me and I think I reminded her a lot of herself at that age. Because of her, I adore reading. Words will never be enough to thank her for giving me the gift of reading.

Second - the day after my mother passed away, we were making arrangements for her service and my brother decided to share this moment with us. He said he was sleeping in the car on the way back from the hospital and he opened his eyes and saw a shooting star. It was beautiful to him and he thought that it was such a random moment, because five minutes earlier or later and he would have been too close to the big cities to even see a shooting star clearly. When he told us about his shooting star, we all began to cry. We had all seen shooting stars that night during our travels, but hadn't really told each other about them. My sister and I saw one together, while my Dad saw the same one from the back seat (we thought he was sleeping), my brother saw one, and my uncle saw one all at the same moment that evening. We took that as a sign from my Mom (my sister had asked my Mom to send us a sign once in a while). My brother had looked up the shooting stars that night and found out that it was the Geminids meteor shower that happens every year on the same date. So now we can all look to the sky on December 13th to see the shooting stars and remember Mom. 

Mom made it to each of our weddings and even saw her first grandson arrive (my sweet nephew) and for that I will be forever greatful. It meant the world to her to see us each say our vows and to be there for the birth of my sister's little guy.
 

Thank you, Mom, for everything. I miss you so much. I'll love you forever!